Legal and Policy Study on Government-Funded Research Institutes in Science and Technology

Government-funded research institutes in science and technology play a pivotal role within Korea’s research and development ecosystem. However, recent changes in the legal framework necessitate a re-examination of their operational structures. In January 2024, research institutes under the Act on the Establishment, Operation and Fostering of Government-Funded Science and Technology Research Institutes (hereinafter, the “Government-Funded S (ii) the transformation of governmental oversight from budgetary control to mission assignment; and (iii) the establishment of explicit statutory guarantees for institutional and researcher autonomy. Ultimately, this study presents a legal framework that positions government-funded science and technology research institutes not merely as beneficiaries of state funding, but as constitutional instruments for realizing national objectives. In doing so, it underscores the necessity of constructing a new legal foundation that embodies the philosophy of mission-oriented innovation policy.